Refrigerator closure



July 14, .1931. G. c. BoHN REFRIGERATOR GLQSURE Filed April 28, 192s 2 sheets-Sheet 1 gvvuenoz Gebhard ohn amm,

July 14, 1931. s. c. Bol-1N 1,314,551

REFRIGERATOR CLOSURE Filed April 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

q A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 14, 1931 PATENT OFFICE GEBI-IARD C. BOI-IN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA REFRIGERA'I'OR CLOSURE Application led April 28,

The present invention relates to a refrigerator door construction.

In the manufacture of refrigerator doors where an enameled metal shell is used on the exterior of the door, it is desirable, in order to avoid the use of screws, penetrating this exterior shell, to crimp the edges of the metal to engage the interior door construction of wood and insulating material. Since it is impracticable to bend the enameled metal after enameling, or to enamel it with the inner door construction in place, it is necessary to use some sort of collapsible construction for the inner door portion so that it may be set up in engagement with the crimped edges of the enameled metal shell.

n object of the present invention is to make a collapsible door structure which may be set up within an enameled metal shell to have interlocking engagement with the edges thereof.

In order toattain this object, there is provided a plurality of interlocking frame units insertible within the crimped edges of an enameled metal plate, and having a rigid super-structure permanently secured thereto to hold the interlocking parts against displacement.

These features of the invention will be more 3o fully brought out in the following description and the accompanying drawings, where- 1n:

Figure 1 is a view inV perspective of the inner side of the completed door unit.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the inner side of the door unit with a metal inner plate removed therefrom to show. the construction of the inner frame portionof the door.

Figure 3 is a sectional, perspective view through the door structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of one of the interlocking frame units.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of one of the superstructure frame units. Y

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, with the end members of the super-structure frame work removed; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged view similar to Figure 6 with one of the longitudinal inter-V to ft` beneath the upwardly and inwardly 1928. serieu N. 273,548.

shown in Figure 4, with a groove 7 cut longitudinally of the inner edge thereof. The end pieces 4 are formed with a tongue 8 eX- tending outwardly from the end at which these end pieces 4 abut withv the other end pieces 3. The other end pieces 3 are each formed with a corresponding groove, not shown, to receive the tongue 8. The outer longitudinal edges and also the outer ends of the end pieces 3 and 4 are similarly formed, having a shoulder 9 cut therein at a height 1 turned edges 2 of the metal plate 1. A second shoulder 10 may also be cutin these pieces at the height of the upper surface of the tongue 8 to fit the door opening, not shown.v The longitudinal members 5 and 6 arevformed with a tongue similar to the tongue 8 of the end members 4 projecting outwardly from kboth ends thereof. lThe outer edges of these members are formed with shoulders similar to the shoulders 9 and 80 10 of the members 4 for the purposes previously set forth for these shoulders.

The super-structure of the door comprises longitudinal members l1 and 12, one of which is afliXed adjacent the inner edge of 85 each of the longitudinal frame members 5 and 6. The ends of these longitudinal l members 11 and 12 are cut down as at 13 to form a lap-Joint with the end super-strucy ture members 14 and'15, shown iny Figure 5.` 90

' In assembling the device, the end members 3 of the collapsible framework are placed as shown in Figure 7 and the longitudinal members 5 and 6 are inserted with the end tongues thereof engaging the grooves on the 95 inner yside of the end frame members 3. VThe combined width of the longitudinal members is necessarily 'somewhat less than Ythe length of one oftheend members 3 so that the other end members may be inserted, 1700 as shown in Figure 7, inwardly of the already inserted end members 3. The tongue 8 of the end members l may then be slidably moved into engagement with the groove in the already installed end members 3. When the end members are installed and slidably moved outwardly so as to engage the upwardly and inwardly bent edge 2 of the metal plate 1', the longitudinal member G maybe slidably moved laterally with the tongue on either end thereof engaging the grooves on the inner edge of the end members until the shoulder 9 of the longitudinal member 6 rests beneath the upwardly and inwardly turned edge of the metal plate 1. The longitudinal super-structure members 11 and 12 are then securely fastened to the longitudinal interlocking frame members as by nails,.not shown, and the transverse super-structure frame members 14 and 15 may then be affixed in position, as shown in Figure 2, the super-structure thus binding the interlocking framesecurely together and preventing displacement of any-of the mem- Ybers thereof. The customary insulation as at 16, 17, and 18 in Figure 3 may then be inserted and an inner metal facing plate 19 may be secured in position as by means of nails 20. Strips 21 may then be secured -to the frame work to cover the edges of the inner metal plate 19 to com-plete the door structure.

I claim: 1. A refrigerator door, comprising a metal plate havinga recess about theedge thereof, an interlocking frame comprising-a pair of interlocking units positioned onY opposite edges of said plate to engagethe recess on the edge of said me-tal plate, and a pair of intermediate frame members having interlocking engagement with said end members and laterallyv slidable to, lie adjacent each other, the combined width of said intermediate members ybeing less than the length of one of the endg members. Y

27A refrigerator door comprising a metal plate having a recess about the edges thereof, a pair of endg framemembers shorter than the width ofA said door plate, said members having beads on the outer edges thereof to enter said recess and having a groove on the inner side, and endY thereof,Y a pair of longitudinal framemembers insertible between said end members when in position in said, plate, the combined width of said longitudinal members being less than the length of oneof saidl endI members, each. of said longitudinalY mem-bersbeing provided with. a'bead on the outerI edge thereof toenter` said recess' and-l having tongue and groove engagement with the inner edge of said end members,: and a' second pair of end? members similar` tog-said. first end members and having tongue andv groove engagement therewith, one of saidfr longitudinal members lbeing adapted to slide transversely of said second end members to a position adjacent the edge of said door plate.

3. A refrigerator door having a metal plate with a recess about the edges thereof, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of end members having a bead on their outer edges and ends, and a groove on their inner edges, and a pair of longitudinal members mounted between said end members and having tongue and groove engagement therewith, said longitudinal members being slidable laterally to. be positioned both on one pair of end members,leaving the other pair free for removal.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

GERHARD C. BOHN. 

